cannabisnews.com: State's Pot Laws Provide Protection for Patients





State's Pot Laws Provide Protection for Patients
Posted by CN Staff on July 18, 2002 at 18:02:44 PT
By The Contra Costa Times
Source: Contra Costa Times 
San Francisco - In a victory for medical marijuana backers, state Supreme Court justices unanimously agreed this morning that California law provides some protection for serious ill patients who use the drug or doctors who prescribe it.While noting that drug laws enacted with the passage of Proposition 215 do not provide absolute immunity from prosecution, the court also said patients have a right to ask that marijuana charges be dismissed prior to trial.
"This case makes it clear that we're going to treat marijuana the same as prescription drug," said Santa Clara law professor Gerald Uelmen, who argued the case. "I think it's a very significant victory for patients and caregivers."The justices pointed out that the decision does not conflict with a U.S. Supreme Court released last year which denied medical marijuana patients "necessity defense." The case decided today, they said, concerns state law, while the case involving the Oakland Cannabis Buyers Cooperative was based in federal drug laws.A spokesman for the Attorney General's Office said officials were reviewing the decision this morning and declined to comment.Complete Title: Judges: State's Pot Laws Provide Protection for Seriously Ill PatientsSource: Contra Costa Times (CA)Published: July 18, 2002Copyright: 2002 Contra Costa Newspapers Inc.Website: http://www.bayarea.com/mld/cctimesContact: http://www.bayarea.com/mld/bayarea/contact_us/CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml
Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help




Post Comment